2026 Colorado Labor Law Roundup
The following changes to Colorado employment law take effect on January 1, 2026:
Leave for NICU Care
Colorado's paid family and medical leave insurance program (FAMLI) will allow employees to take an additional 12 weeks of leave if their child is receiving inpatient care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Since employees were already able to take an additional four weeks of leave for a serious health condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, this will raise the maximum amount of FAMLI leave to 28 weeks in a 12-month period should all these circumstances arise.
Minimum Wage Increases
Minimum wage rates in Colorado will increase as follows:
Statewide (Proposed)
Colorado has proposed increasing its minimum wage to $15.16 per hour and the minimum wage for tipped employees to $12.14.
The proposed minimum salary for exempt executive, administrative, or professional employees would increase to $1,111.23 per week, or $57,784 per year.
The minimum annual salary for the highly compensated employee exemption would increase to $130,014 per year.
The minimum rate for exempt computer employees who are paid on an hourly basis would increase to $34.85 per hour.
Denver
Denver's city and county minimum wage will increase to $19.29 per hour.
The minimum base wage for tipped employees will increase to $16.27 per hour.
Edgewater
Edgewater's minimum wage will increase to $18.17 per hour. The minimum base wage for tipped employees will increase to $15.15 per hour.
Unincorporated Boulder County
Unincorporated Boulder County's minimum wage is currently set to increase to $16.82 per hour while the minimum base wage for tipped employees is set to increase to $13.80 per hour.
For a list of unincorporated areas where this minimum wage law applies, see Boulder County's website.
City of Boulder
The hourly minimum wage in the City of Boulder will increase to $16.82.
The minimum base wage for tipped employees will increase to $13.80 per hour.
Action Item:
Update your FAMLI policy.